On 15 Dec 2005, at 9:34 PM, Allie Micka wrote:
I think discussed adding "domains" to the variable table a while back on this list.
Yes,. It was actually the first test DEP that I wrote. You can probably search the mailing list for it.
I admit I didn't take the time to absorb it fully, but It seems that the cascading variable system is about values and overriding them (think vertical), where the lookup stuff is more about segmenting/grouping data (think horizontal)
It's both. You can get the top variable on the stack, or you can get the variable out of just one layer. Without the last parameter to variable_get, it just gets it from the top of the stack. What it comes down to, is it's a more sane data storage mechanism than the data column in the user field for instance. Although there's a definite schism between variables (that change how the system works) and properties (ie: profile fields and the like). And once we step down that line .. we are on CCK's turf. I envision being able to set $user->settings as an associative array, and then in the back end it uses the variables table to store that. Think of user as one of these realms. Same with views, or email, or whatever. It only loads one of the realms when you specify it in your code, and then any lookups against it are cheap. -- Adrian Rossouw Drupal developer and Bryght Guy http://drupal.org | http://bryght.com